Saturday, August 30, 2008

I propose an exercise : Each week (or possibly multiple times per week) I'll pair up with an artist and we'll prepare Study Buddy templates for each other [below]. It's easy! Just paste web ref (illustrations, photos, etc. -- subject matter may be thematic or random) into the appropriate boxes and circle an area of study for each (masses, palette, details or composition). Then swap templates via email. The idea is to do quick observational warmups (I would think no more than 5-10 minutes per), then post them up on your blog to share with your buddy.

Example :

Download the Master template to conduct your own Study Buddy exercises with others! I'm hoping that by seeding this template the practice will spread virally and we'll all get a little more astute.

RZ Illustration is up first. I gave her a higher resolution version of the following file to crank on...

Sunday, August 10, 2008

So I'm trying to learn from yesterday's mess. I resumed working up the blueline on this page in Photoshop, that most forgiving of mediums. With still more tweaking to be done, and for curiosity's sake, I paused to see how inking in Sketchbook Pro would feel. Verdict : pretty nice, actually. And fast. The software was worth every penny.

I had my shit backwards : you put the bulk of the work into the foundation, not the finishing passes. Gotta let that cake bake!

Saturday, August 9, 2008

As you can see, I'm marginally closer to finishing it. Would be finished full-stop were it seemingly impossible for me to not make major revisions to the poses, armor designs, wall geometry, lighting, etc.

This edition of Comickers shows a trend : None of the featured artists introduce value until their underdrawing is clear and resolute. If it works in line, it will apparently work as a painting. Why do I think I can bypass this crucial stage and design on-the-fly? What does it take to commit and plow through, rather than dwell on how a piece might be improved? Unfortunately, saying "Fuck it. The next one will better." doesn't make the ugliness in your current one go away.

There is literally nothing left to do at this point but start over -- use what I've come up with so far as a springboard foundation for a new underdrawing. On paper. On fucking paper...

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Random novelty : my skull has been UV-unwrapped. The dentist I saw this morning did a panoramic scan that not only shows my entire jawline, but also bits of my nasal passage and eye sockets. Good news -- no cavities!

Also, startin' to paint this...I likes me purple 'n' greeeeeen!

Then there's this guy...

If I can ever get myself to stick with an underdrawing until it's ready (which I call "letting it bake" -- Ever try frosting an unbaked cake? Doesn't work.), this "digital inking via Sketchbook Pro" thing could potentially work for Whisper. The line is so friggin' crisp, I don't even need to sharpen it when I reduce for web. I made a custom brush based on the pencil tool with these properties, and it's been working out pretty well. [see below] Another thing that helped here was that the underdrawing was done on paper and scanned in. I'm not sure if it's the perceived lag or what, but there are certain kinds of lines/line weights that I just don't attempt in a digital environment. My wooden pencil somehow gives me the ease and confidence to commit to shapes much more readily. It's a mindfuck, truly, but I'm sure the disconnect will be bridged in my lifetime.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Little illo I started this weekend. Thank to RZ Illustration for putting me up to it!

"Sci-fi... two characters sneaking around on a large ship, one character peers around corners, looking for guards, unbeknownst to the first character the other is being pulled down a drainpipe/grate by a large tentacled monster."

Also, started roughing in page 4 of Whisper...gonna try finishing it in Sketchbook Pro at screen resolution, just to see how quick/easy it is.